Revelation 6–11
Common Theme
God unfolds His righteous judgments upon the world while preserving His people and advancing His redemptive purposes. Despite escalating judgment, heaven continually affirms that God reigns and that His plan is moving toward final fulfillment.
Questions
- How do these visions shape our understanding of God’s control over judgment and history?
- What do the interludes reveal about God’s intentions toward His people during times of judgment?
God Shot
God is just and sovereign, exercising measured and purposeful judgment over the earth according to His will. He remains faithful to His promises, protecting His people and declaring that His kingdom will ultimately prevail.
Deeper
Revelation 6
The text describes the opening of the Seven Seals by the Lamb. The first seal reveals a rider on a white horse, symbolizing conquest. The second seal brings forth a red horse, whose rider takes peace from the earth, leading to violence. The third seal introduces a black horse with a rider holding scales, indicating famine. The fourth seal reveals a pale horse, named Death, with authority to kill through various means. The fifth seal shows the souls of martyrs seeking justice. The sixth seal triggers a great earthquake, darkening the sun and moon, causing fear among the powerful, who seek to hide from divine wrath.
Revelation 7
In this passage, four angels hold back the winds of the earth until 144,000 servants of God from the tribes of Israel are sealed. Each tribe contributes 12,000 individuals. Following this, a great multitude from every nation, uncountable and dressed in white robes, stands before the throne of God and the Lamb, proclaiming salvation. The angels worship God, acknowledging His glory and power. An elder explains that these individuals have come from great tribulation, having washed their robes in the Lamb’s blood. They serve God eternally, free from hunger, thirst, and suffering, with the Lamb guiding them to living water and God comforting them.
Revelation 8
The passage describes the opening of the seventh seal by the Lamb, resulting in silence in heaven and the preparation of seven angels with trumpets. An angel offers incense with the prayers of the saints, which rises to God. The angel then casts fire from the altar to the earth, causing thunder, lightning, and an earthquake. The first four angels blow their trumpets, leading to devastating events: hail and fire burning a third of the earth, a burning mountain poisoning the sea, a star named Wormwood contaminating rivers, and a third of celestial bodies losing their light. An eagle warns of further woes to come.
Revelation 9
The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, revealing a fallen star given the key to the bottomless pit. Upon opening it, smoke darkened the sun and air, releasing locusts with scorpion-like power, instructed not to harm those with God’s seal. They tormented unsealed people for five months, causing them to seek death in vain. The locusts appeared like battle-prepared horses, with human-like faces and lion-like teeth, led by the angel Abaddon (Apollyon). Following this, the sixth angel released four angels bound at the Euphrates, resulting in the death of a third of mankind through a massive army. Despite these plagues, survivors did not repent of their idolatry or immoral actions.
Revelation 10
In this passage, a mighty angel descends from heaven, holding a little scroll and proclaiming a message with a loud voice. After the angel’s call, seven thunders sound, but John is instructed not to write down their message. The angel swears that there will be no more delay in God’s mystery being fulfilled. John is then told to take and eat the scroll, which is sweet in his mouth but bitter in his stomach, and he is commanded to prophesy again.
Revelation 11
The passage describes the Two Witnesses, who are granted authority to prophesy for 1,260 days while clothed in sackcloth. They possess powers to inflict plagues and control the weather. After completing their testimony, they are killed by a beast, and their bodies lie in the street of a city symbolically referred to as Sodom and Egypt. The world rejoices over their death, but after three and a half days, they are resurrected and ascend to heaven, causing fear among their enemies. Following this, the seventh angel sounds the trumpet, proclaiming the establishment of God’s kingdom. The twenty-four elders worship God, acknowledging His power and the impending judgment of the dead, while God’s temple in heaven is revealed with signs of divine presence.